This research group focuses on environmental injustice in California's San Joaquin Valley. See the archive entrance here.
Merced Air Quality and Health Conference notes
Overall notes
Meeting is funded by the same DOJ grant as the Beyond the Tailpipe study. There was at least one other project (community air monitoring in Sacramento) that was funded by the same grant.
Throughout the day, nearly all of the conversation is about PM2.5/10 (+ ozone, NOX, maybe VOCs). Very little discussion of metal air pollution. Air pollution and greenhouse gases were also consistently separated out.
Importance of representing the Central Valley
A student’s mother was from Kettleman City, which is featured in the first lesson. Learning about environmental injustice in a place that was close to her was really concerning and something she hadn’t thought about before.
Today, we visited three periods of Craig's class in Lemoore while they made smores with their solar ovens and conduct more interviews with Aeris' grandparents. I had a migraine off and on throughout the day so I was not at my best but here are some of my reflections. Notes from the Lemoore visit are posted separately.
J.G. Boswell Company Organizational Profile
When was the organization founded, what was the founding purpose, what were its modes of support, and what was its early structure?
What other organizations does this organization interact and collaborate with?
Bud Darwin is the Education and Volunteer Director for Sequoia Riverlands Trust. Below are my notes from a conversation with him on March 16, 2023.
SRT operates seven preserves in Tulare County, including one that contains vernal pools, the Kaweah Oaks preserve (about 8 miles outside of Visalia) and the Dry Creek preserve (which we will hopefully be visiting). They operate field trips for 3rd through 5th graders at these preserves.
Bianca Lopez is a co-founder/Project Director for Valley Improvement Projects. Below are my notes from a conversation with her on February 22, 2023.
Valley Improvement Projects has partnered with universities in the past. UC Berkeley has worked on a study of the pesticide notification system run by the Department of Pesticide Regulation. Modesto has one of the pilots for this program, but it hasn't been very useful. This is an example of an agency being forced to implement something by pressure from activist groups.
Mosaic created in the 1950s by students of Buttonwillow Elementary school.